Israel Election 2026 No Winner as Arab Parties Win Record 19 Seats
Israel has voted, and no one has won. With every vote counted in the 2026 Israeli election, Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc has 53 seats, Gadi Eisenkot's opposition has 48, and Arab parties have a record 19. Nobody reaches the 61 seats needed to govern. Here are the full results, who the kingmakers are, every possible coalition path, and what happens next.
Israel Election 2026 Results at a Glance
- Election day: October 27, 2026
- Netanyahu bloc: 53 seats (down from 68 in the outgoing Knesset)
- Opposition bloc (led by Gadi Eisenkot): 48 seats
- Arab parties: 19 seats, an all-time high
- Majority needed: 61 of 120 seats
- Turnout: 77.9%, the highest in decades, with 5,716,665 votes cast
- Biggest party: Likud, with 27 seats
Full Results: Seats by Party
| Party | Seats | Bloc |
|---|---|---|
| Likud | 27 | Netanyahu bloc |
| Yashar (Gadi Eisenkot) | 21 | Opposition |
| B'Yachad (Naftali Bennett) | 12 | Opposition |
| Joint List | 11 | Arab parties |
| The Democrats (Yair Golan) | 8 | Opposition |
| Ra'am (Mansour Abbas) | 8 | Arab parties |
| Yisrael Beytenu | 7 | Opposition |
| United Torah Judaism | 7 | Netanyahu bloc |
| Otzma Yehudit | 7 | Netanyahu bloc |
| Shas | 6 | Netanyahu bloc |
| Religious Zionism | 6 | Netanyahu bloc |
Three parties failed to pass the 3.25% threshold: Yoaz Hendel's Reservists-Economic list (2.63%), Ofer Winter's People of Israel (1.7%) and The Charedi Public (0.2%).
Why This Election Matters
This was Israel's first election since the October 7, 2023 attacks and the start of the war in Gaza, and it was widely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu. It also took place in the middle of the US–Iran war, which began with joint US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February. The vote came just one week before the US midterm elections on November 3.
The result is a heavy blow to Netanyahu's camp: the parties in his government held 68 seats in the outgoing Knesset and now have just 53. But Likud is still Israel's biggest party, and the opposition has no easy route to power either.
The Kingmakers: Arab Parties Win a Record 19 Seats
The biggest surprise is the Arab parties. The Joint List (11) and Ra'am (8) together won 19 seats, nearly double their current 10. On paper, the opposition plus the Arab parties would have 67 seats, more than enough to govern.
The problem: Eisenkot has pledged not to partner with Arab parties, and most opposition parties have ruled it out. Only Yair Golan's Democrats support such a coalition. Golan has already met Ra'am leader Mansour Abbas and said it is "a time for action."
Paths to 61: Who Can Form the Next Government?
- Netanyahu stays in power: his bloc needs 8 more seats from outside its camp. Both Netanyahu and Eisenkot say they will form the next government.
- Eisenkot becomes prime minister: he has met Naftali Bennett to discuss forming a government "as quickly as possible," but without Arab party support his bloc has only 48 seats.
- Deadlock and another election: coalition talks could last more than two months. President Isaac Herzog has urged leaders to come to talks "with an open mind" and avoid another vote.
Fraud Claims and the Vote Count
Likud has claimed that Arab-led parties "stole" the election, possibly with foreign help. Those claims are unproven. The Central Elections Committee asked the Shin Bet to look into alleged foreign interference, but said the investigation will not change the results and called reports of widespread fraud "entirely unfounded." Eisenkot accused Netanyahu of trying to delegitimise the result.
What Happens Next?
- Official results go to President Herzog once the Central Elections Committee certifies them.
- Herzog meets every party leader, and each recommends who should try to form the government.
- November 10: the new Knesset is sworn in, whether or not a coalition exists.
- Coalition talks are expected to be long and could run past two months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the 2026 Israeli election?
No one won a majority. Likud is the largest party with 27 seats, but Netanyahu's bloc has only 53 of the 61 seats needed to govern.
How many seats did Netanyahu win?
Netanyahu's Likud won 27 seats, and his wider bloc won 53.
How many seats did Arab parties win?
The Joint List and Ra'am won 19 seats together, an all-time high.
Who could be Israel's next prime minister?
Both Benjamin Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot say they will form the next government, but neither has a clear path to 61 seats yet.
When will Israel's new government be formed?
The Knesset is sworn in on November 10, but coalition talks could take more than two months.
This article will be updated as coalition talks develop. Follow us for the latest Israel election news.
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